NASA Develops Hedgehog Robot for Asteroid Exploration

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has come up with a concept for a hedgehog-inspired robot to traverse the unusual terrain of asteroids and other small bodies in our solar system.

The Hedgehog, as it's officially named, is designed for "hopping, tumbling and flipping over," instead of more traditional modes of locomotion such as rolling along on wheels.

"It is shaped like a cube and can operate no matter which side it lands on," said Issa Nesnas, who's leading the team of researchers at the JPL.

According to NASA, the Hedgehog will be a basic cube with spikes sticking out of it that moves by "spinning and braking internal flywheels." The spikes could also be used to measure surface temperatures, or could house any number of other scientific instruments. However, it is a well known fact that spikes cause loss, rather than the acquisition, of golden rings, so they presumably couldn't be used for that purpose.

In June, two prototype robots were tested on board the NASA C9 as part of the reduced gravity research program and "demonstrated several types of maneuvers that would be useful" for exploring the surface of relatively small bodies in space.

Last month a report went viral claiming one such small body was on a collision course with Earth. NASA issued a statement assuaging humanity's fears of an Armageddon-like event, saying there was no evidence an asteroid was going to hit Earth.